Conversation: 035-017
Prev: 035-016 Next: 035-018Start Date: 27-Dec-1972 8:14 PM
End Date: 27-Dec-1972 8:33 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.;Recording Device: White House Telephone
NARA Description:
On December 27, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 8:14 pm to 8:33 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 035-017 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 35-17
Date: December 27, 1972
Time: 8:14 pm - 8:33 pm
Location: White House Telephone
The President talked with Charles W. Colson.
The President's schedule
-Harry S. Truman's death
-The President’s paying of respects
-Television [TV] coverage
-Timing
-Absence of Presidential-public statement
-Truman family request for private funeral
-Demeanor
-Tone
-Photographs
-Media coverage
-National Broadcasting Company [NBC]
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-Lyndon B. Johnson and family
US bombing of North Vietnam
-News coverage
-Truman’s death
-Public attitude
-Disappointment
-Truman’s death
-The President’s paying of respects
-Lack of demonstrators
-Colson’s telephone conversations
-William F. (“Billy”) Graham's views
-Graham's association with the administration
-“War Hawk”
-Colson’s recent conversation with Henry A. Kissinger
-Effects of Kissinger's conversation with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Press contacts
-Colson’s message to Haldeman
-Kissinger’s conversation with Colson
-19-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-07)
Conversation No. 35-17 (cont’d)
-Status quo
-Return of Congress
-Public attitude
-Neutrality
-Albert E. Sindlinger
-Poll information
-Timing
-Christmas
-Support for bombing
-Increases
-“Doves”
-Increases
-Status quo
-Colson’s recent conversation with Kissinger
Congressional relations
-Democratic Whip position
-House Majority Leader
-Thomas P. (“Tip”) O'Neill
-O'Neill
-Democratic partisanship
-Relationship with Colson
-Possible successor
-Robert C. Byrd
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS] appearance
-Vietnam War special
-Re-election efforts
-Support for the President
-Briefing from William H. Sullivan
-Robert P. Griffin
-Briefing
-Hugh Scott
-Colson’s view
-Colson’s recent conversations with William E. Timmons and John A. Scali
-Colson’s efforts
-Reaction to US bombing of North Vietnam
-Quiescence
-Edward M. Kennedy
-Statement
-Michael J. Mansfield
-20-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-07)
Conversation No. 35-17 (cont’d)
-Statement
-Timing
-Congressional recess
-Vacations
Prisoners of War [POWs]
-Story
-Robert J. Dole
-The President’s view
-Bryce N. Harlow
-Colson’s view
-Schedule
-Florida
US bombing of North Vietnam
-Public attitude
-Colson’s telephone conversations
-New Majority
-Appointments by administration
-Colson’s “book”
-The President’s constituency
-Possible worry
-W. Richard Howard’s telephone conversations
National economy
-Herbert Stein
-Economic briefing
-Tone
-Colson’s view
-Gross National Product [GNP]
-Revised figures
-Increases
-1972 election
-Aid to administration
-Briefing by Stein
-Tone
National issues
-Economy
-Football
-21-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-07)
Conversation No. 35-17 (cont’d)
-Administration appointments
-Robert Q. Marston
-Washington press coverage
-National Institute of Health [NIH]
-Views of scientific community
-George S. McGovern
-Political leaning
-Colson’s relative
-Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger
-Department of Health, Education and Welfare [HEW]
-Peter J. Brennan
-Rowland Evans and Robert Novak column
-Labor Department
-Photographs of the President
-George P. Shultz
-James N. Hodgson
-John F. Kennedy photographs
-Lyndon B. Johnson photographs
-Brennan’s effect on Washington bureaucracy
-Effect
-Establishment
-Wall Street Journal
-Victor Riesel column
-Activities
-Effect
-Compared to Martin P. Durkin
-Evans and Novak, Wall Street Journal columns
-Tone
-Relationship with the President
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Support for Adlai E. Stevenson, II
-Brennan’s support for the President
-1972 campaign
-Labor committee
-New Majority
-Evans and Novak column
-Relationship with press
CBS
-The President's conversation with Gerald L. Warren
-22-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-07)
Conversation No. 35-17 (cont’d)
-Possible policies affecting CBS
-The President conversation with Patrick J. Buchanan
-Buchanan's lunch with William Small
-Worry
-Relationship with the administration
-Colson’s view
Cable TV
-The President’s view
-Effect on the networks
-CBS
-Establishment
-Benefit to public
Life magazine
-Final issue
-1972 photographs
-Thomas F. Eagleton
-McGovern
-Edward S. Muskie
-Coverage of the President
-The President’s trip to the People’s Republic of China [PRC] and the
Soviet Union
-Election
-New Majority
-Colson’s view
-Establishment
-Public interest
-The President’s potential survival
John A. Volpe
-Ambassadorship to Italy
-Italian-American reaction
-Colson’s view
-Scali
-United Nations [UN] appointment
-Secretary of Transportation
-Colson’s conversation with Volpe
-Volpe’s reaction
-Italian-American reaction
-23-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-07)
Conversation No. 35-17 (cont’d)
Blair House receptions
-New Majority
-Response
-Compared to White House parties, church services, receptions
-Letters to Colson
-Numbers
-Tone
-Compared to the National Business Council for Consumer Affairs
Maurice H. Stans
-Campaign contributors
-Members of National Business Council for Consumer Affairs
-List
Blair House receptions
-Response
-1973 Inaugural receptions
-Degree of formality
-Black ties
-Wives
-Compared to white tie